1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical/electromechanical erection aid. At the outset this means an aid to remedy a dysfunction, viz. lack of erection or an erection that declines too rapidly, but also an aid to provide an additional stimulus in connection with a normal erection situation.
2. Background Art
Various remedies of chemical and mechanical type are previously known in connection with erectile dysfunction. Chemical agents can be administered by injection into or near penis, or they can be taken orally, compare the medicament xe2x80x9cViagraxe2x80x9d. However, chemical remedies are burdened with adverse effects, and injections will feel unpleasant for many persons. Among the commonly known mechanical erection aids are vacuum pumps for obtaining erection, and tightening devices e .g. round the root of the penis for maintaining an obtained erection.
A device of the last mentioned type Is previously known from German xe2x80x9cOffenlegungsschriftxe2x80x9d Patent DE 22 07 169, but this device is equipped, in addition to the proper tightening device intended to prevent the reverse flow of blood from the penis, with further devices intended to stimulate the sexual partner, inter alia an electrical vibrator device. Hence, this vibrator device is only intended for the partner, and is arranged as a separate unit at a distance from the penis. The vibrator device itself is not specified further, and is powered from a battery situated somewhere else.
An annular amusement device and a condom-shaped amusement device are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,638 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,447 respectively, both amusement devices producing mechanical vibrations in the form of sound, more particularly music. In both cases, the body contact between two sexual partners will trigger music playback from a unit which, also in this case, is situated close to the root of the penis, but outward from the penis. The unit may contain a vibration element, i.e., a sound emitter, which may be, e.g., a piezoelectric miniature loudspeaker, further an electronic microchip, and a small battery for powering the loudspeaker and the microchip. However, these amusement devices are not manufactured, and not suitable, to remedy an erectile dysfunction.
Further, a so-called xe2x80x9cvibrating condomxe2x80x9d is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,692, which condom is intended to stimulate the genitals of the sexual partner during coitus. One embodiment of this condom utilizes an embedded sheet of xe2x80x9cNitinolxe2x80x9d, together with a battery. The Nitinol sheet has shape memory, and can be flexed by means of electricity. Using a pulsed current, the sheet is able to provide mechanical vibrations for stimulation of the genitals of the sexual partner. It does not appear from this patent what triggers the vibration function.
Not even this last mentioned US-patent aims at remedying or relieving the male lacking or diminishing erection dysfunction, it is actually stated explicitly in the patent that this is not the intention.
Thus, there is still a lack of an effective mechanical aid for the erection dysfunction that is not perceived as being a nuisance, or that is not difficult to use.
The present invention aims at meeting this lack, and intends to provide an erection aid that is easy to slip on and that is perceived as comfortable also for the sexual partner.